For three weeks: Union kept Sui gas transportation at risk in protest

ISLAMABAD: Gas transportation to the national grid from Sui field in Balochistan remained at risk for last three weeks, mainly because of a protest by the CBA union on account of termination of an employee, who was later proven guilty of stealing scrap of a truck.

The union, along with the employees, allegedly halted the operations and disrupted the critical business activities. “So much so, the physical blockade of entry and exit gates by the union resulted in the unlawful detention of the field management and the prevention of 17 employees from departing through a PIA flight,” a senior official of the Petroleum Division told The News while quoting the letter of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) written on Nov 25, 2024, about the situation at Sui field.

The official said Zeeshan Ghani, a non-MPT (non-management profession technician) was terminated by the management as he was proven guilty on the charges of stealing a truck of scraps. The CBA union, without knowing, the facts and halted the operations.

While referring to the PPL letter that was received by DGPC (directorate general of petroleum concession), the official said that the interruption and unrest by the union cannot be overlooked as it could lead to the shortages in industries, power generation and households crippling the economic activities.

When contacted, the PPL confirmed the union’s strike at the site and the dispatch of its letter to the DGPC, but offered no comments. However, the relevant official at the Petroleum Division revealed that the PPL terminated Zeeshan Ghani on the charge of theft after a thorough transparent process was carried out in compliance of code of conduct of the company and applicable legal frameworks. “The union’s demand for the reinstatement of the dismissed employee is unfounded and unfair as acceding to such demand would compromise the integrity of the company’s policies and its accountability process,” the officials said. However, according to the official, the PPL management had restored normal operations to prevent any further disruption and is engaged in talks with the union.

When this scribe contacted the CBA secretary general union at Sui gas field confirmed that they demonstrated the protest over the dismissal of Zeeshan Ghani and now they have called off the protest after knowing that Zeeshan was proven guilty by the court of law.

However, Ejaz said that earlier they wanted management not to terminate him, but punish him by posting him somewhere else. “Now the union distanced itself from Zeeshan Ghani when he was declared guilty by the court of law also. He said that the management has assured that an officer who was also involved in the scrap theft will not be spared, so the union has abandoned its demand.

When asked if the CBA union had taken the management hostage and made a blockade of entry and exit gates, he didn’t respond, but said the issue was over. Ejaz admitted that their demand was unjustified.